Yang Joon-hyuk eyes massive 1,500-pyeong sauna business

Former baseball player Yang Joon-hyuk is taking new steps as an entrepreneur, planning a large-scale venture of approximately 1,500 pyeong following his success in yellowtail farming.

In the upcoming episode of KBS 2TV's 'Boss in the Mirror' airing on the 23rd, the contrasting investment styles of Kim Yo Han, who has been interested in wealth management since his professional athlete days, and Yang Joon-hyuk, who is pushing for large-scale business expansion, will be revealed.

During the episode, Kim Yo Han looks back on the time he became the 'Salary King' just three years after his professional debut, revealing that he steadily saved his income at that time. He explained that his building purchase was also achieved through diligent savings rather than high-risk investments.

Kim showed a cautious attitude toward starting a business. Citing his experience watching seniors struggle after jumping into ventures, he stated he had no intention of starting a business himself.

Hearing this, Yang reacted immediately. Having already entered the yellowtail farming business and now preparing for another venture, he retorted, "Who are you talking about right now?", bringing laughter to the set.

Jun Hyun-moo also empathized with Kim's stable wealth management style, stating that rather than taking risks for high returns, he prefers an investment method where both risk and return are low. Kim Sook heated up the atmosphere by throwing a blunt question at Jun, asking, "Are you not getting married or buying buildings because you are too cautious?"

On the other hand, Yang's business strategy is different in scale. He revealed that he has secured occupancy for about 1,500 pyeong, spanning three floors of a 45-story building located in Yeongildae, Pohang.

While he has secured the space, the specific business item has not yet been finalized. When Jun asked what kind of business he is planning, Yang revealed a somewhat unusual strategy: securing the occupancy space first and then deciding on the business item.

However, he is not starting a business recklessly. Emphasizing that "the old Yang Joon-hyuk is gone," he conducts market research alongside Kim, touring everything from traditional saunas to modern premium jjimjilbangs.

His strategy is to determine the direction after directly verifying the marketability of the business item and consumer demand, rather than repeating past trial and error. Park Myeong-su expressed surprise, suggesting that the reason Yang had been studying various business items all this time was to prepare for this large-scale project. Kim also noted his change, saying that while he used to have a strong tendency to just jump into things, he is now proceeding with thorough preliminary research.

What kind of business will be realized in the newly secured 1,500-pyeong space remains shrouded in mystery. However, given that he has expanded his business scope from yellowtail farming to securing a large commercial space, interest is growing as to whether his moves represent a full-scale expansion beyond a simple side job.

'Boss in the Mirror' is a variety program that observes the work and management styles of bosses in various fields. In its most recent broadcast, it continued its presence as a long-running variety show, recording the No. 1 viewership rating in the same time slot for 219 consecutive weeks according to Nielsen Korea.